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Slavery in Ancient Rome to Modern Times

Prostitutes of Ancient Rome belonged to a guild. They were called lupenare because they howled to lure their victims. Many prostitutes were slaves and had no choice in the matter. Far worse, child prostitution was accepted in Rome, for both boys and girls. Sadly, Roman emperors engaged in this perversion. Preaching the Gospel changed this, but this is a constant battle even today.

Slave Cabin, Laura Plantation

American history points out the horror of Black Slavery. However, slavery is nothing new. In Ancient Times, slaves were the spoils of war. Whenever a new shipment of exotic slaves came to Rome, people rushed to buy them. Later, pirates of the Barberry Coast in North Africa captured white women off ships to sell them into harems and brothels. White men were sold as galley slaves in ships. A monastic order in Rome worked hard to ransom people back from White Slavery. The North Africans raided coastal towns as far away as Ireland and Iceland. This practice went on for 600 years; whereas, American slavery lasted less than 250 years. One line in the Marine Hymn reads, “to the shores of Tripoli.” This refers to President Jefferson sending American Marines to Tripoli to stop pirates from taking sailors off American ships.

Fast forward….If you study Chinese history, you’ll know Chinese women were treated with disdain. Some were sold for pennies in China. Where did they go? To American brothels on the West Coast. This was called Yellow Slavery. Chinese women worked in cribs and brothels until they dropped dead from disease. This started in the 1850s and lasted into the 1920s. Enter: Donaldina Cameron, a street evangelist in the 1870s, who raided cribs and brothels wielding her ax. She and her helpers rescued 3,000 Chinese slaves, bringing them back to her mission to rehabilitate them.

Forward to recent times. During the George W. Bush administration, brothels were raided in California, where women from Central America had been chained to beds to service 10 to 15 men a day. Their Hispanic madams lured them to the United States with the promise of great jobs. These young women were recruited from villages in Central America. As a result, Congress passed a law to protect these women, giving them legal rights and protection. This law is now being abused as thousands of illegals flood America’s borders, who are not victims of sex trafficking.

Sadly, slavery/sex trafficking exists all over the world and must constantly be fought against. Widows, orphans, and the poor are usually exploited. Women At Risk helps women escape sex trafficking and exploitation, as does Reclaim13. Unfortunately, slavery is nothing new, and it has affected people from every racial spectrum.